Earth-Sun Geometry and Seasons
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Questions and Answers

What is dendrochronology primarily used for?

  • Classifying different types of soils
  • Determining the age of fossils
  • Measuring carbon emissions from fossil fuels
  • Studying changes in annual tree growth to infer climate variations (correct)

    • Which of the following best describes anthropogenic environmental changes?

  • Natural changes driven by geological factors
  • Changes in climate due to volcanic eruptions
  • Shifts in ecosystems caused by invasive species
  • Environmental modifications resulting from human activities (correct)

    • What are oxygen isotope stages used for in climate studies?

  • Measuring soil salinization rates
  • Reconstructing prehistoric climate change (correct)
  • Evaluating the growth rates of tree rings
  • Analyzing human impact on land cover

    • Milankovitch Theory explains glacial and interglacial cycles through what factors?

    <p>Long-term variations in Earth's orbital characteristics</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What does 'carrying capacity' refer to in environmental science?

    <p>The maximum number of organisms an area can sustain without environmental degradation</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is the term for the angle at which solar radiation strikes the Earth?

    <p>Angle of Incidence</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Which layer of the atmosphere is directly above the troposphere?

    <p>Stratosphere</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What does 'albedo' refer to in environmental science?

    <p>Reflectivity of surfaces</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Which of the following describes 'latente heat'?

    <p>Heat stored in molecular bonds</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Which term defines the overall balance between incoming and outgoing radiation on Earth?

    <p>Radiation Budget</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What process involves the redirection of solar radiation by atmospheric gases or particles?

    <p>Scattering</p> Signup and view all the answers

    In which atmospheric layer is the temperature generally highest?

    <p>Thermosphere</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is the term for the decrease in temperature with respect to altitude in the troposphere?

    <p>Environmental Lapse Rate</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Which type of front is typically associated with slow and steady precipitation?

    <p>Warm Front</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What atmospheric phenomenon is characterized by warm and cold fronts and forms in the midlatitudes?

    <p>Midlatitude Cyclone</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Which type of moist air current is associated with a thunderstorm and flows downward?

    <p>Downdraft</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is a key characteristic of supercell thunderstorms?

    <p>They contain strong updrafts and rotating winds.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What defines a tropical storm?

    <p>Maximum sustained winds between 35 and 63 knots.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Which of the following terms refers to the maximum possible water loss from a land area?

    <p>Potential Evapotranspiration</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is the role of a hook echo in meteorology?

    <p>Indicates rotation in a thunderstorm.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    How does actual evapotranspiration differ from potential evapotranspiration?

    <p>It represents the quantity of water actually removed.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is the primary characteristic of the Tropical Easterlies?

    <p>Winds converge where trade winds meet.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Which atmospheric feature is characterized by high pressure, calm winds, and clear skies?

    <p>Subtropical High Pressure System</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What describes the flow of the Westerlies?

    <p>They flow from west to east.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What characterizes the Polar Front Jet Stream?

    <p>It is a river of high-speed air in the upper atmosphere.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Which of the following correctly defines Meridional Flow?

    <p>Jet stream flow parallel to the meridians due to strong Rossby waves.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What causes the Katabatic Winds?

    <p>Cold air pools developing over ice caps.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What describes the process of condensation?

    <p>Water changes from vapor to liquid phase.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    In what type of climate is a monsoon most likely to occur?

    <p>Subtropical locations experiencing seasonal wind changes.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is the primary mechanism driving Thermohaline Circulation?

    <p>Differences in salinity of ocean water.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Which term describes the upward movement of water in oceans as temperature warms?

    <p>Upwelling Current</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What does maximum humidity refer to?

    <p>The maximum amount of water vapor that a body of air can hold at a given temperature</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is the dry adiabatic lapse rate (DAR)?

    <p>10 degrees per 1000 m</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What occurs at the dew-point temperature?

    <p>Condensation occurs</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What characterizes a stable air mass?

    <p>Low environmental lapse rate preventing strong convection</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Which process describes the combined effects of water vapor loss from the Earth’s surface and plants?

    <p>Evapotranspiration</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What type of fog develops when warm air flows over cooler air?

    <p>Advection fog</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is the main characteristic of cirrus clouds?

    <p>Thin and wispy structure</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What does a rain shadow refer to?

    <p>The dry and hot body of land on the leeward side of a mountain range</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What type of uplift occurs when air encounters a mountain range?

    <p>Orographic uplift</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What does relative humidity measure?

    <p>The ratio between specific humidity and maximum humidity</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What occurs at the subsolar point on Earth?

    <p>The Sun's rays strike at a 90-degree angle.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    When does the Winter Solstice occur in the Northern Hemisphere?

    <p>December 21 or 22</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is the major characteristic of the Plane of the Ecliptic?

    <p>It represents the flat plane of Earth's orbit around the Sun.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Which statement correctly defines longwave radiation?

    <p>It is associated with thermal infrared radiation.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What defines the Tropic of Cancer?

    <p>It is where the subsolar point is at 23.5 degrees N.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is the role of the ozone layer in the atmosphere?

    <p>It protects Earth from ultraviolet radiation.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What happens during the Spring Equinox in the Northern Hemisphere?

    <p>The subsolar point is located at the Equator.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Which term describes the distance between wave crests in a given wave?

    <p>Wavelength</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is the significance of the International Date Line?

    <p>It marks the transition from one day to another.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What does the term 'insolation' measure?

    <p>The average solar radiation received.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Study Notes

    Earth-Sun Geometry and Seasons

    • Big Bang Theory: Universe originated 14 billion years ago from a dense, hot mass.
    • Sun Angle: Angle at which sun's rays hit Earth, varying with latitude.
    • Subsolar Point: Location on Earth where sun's rays are directly overhead (90 degrees).
    • Plane of the Ecliptic: Flat plane Earth follows in its orbit around the sun.
    • Perihelion: Closest point in Earth's orbit to the sun.
    • Aphelion: Farthest point in Earth's orbit from the sun.
    • Axis: Imaginary line through Earth's poles, around which it rotates.
    • Circle of Illumination: Dividing line between night and day on Earth.
    • International Date Line: Marks the transition from one day to the next.
    • Spring Equinox: Occurs March 20/21 in Northern Hemisphere (subsolar point at equator).
    • Summer Solstice: Occurs June 20/21 in Northern Hemisphere (subsolar point at Tropic of Cancer).
    • Tropic of Cancer: Latitude 23.5 degrees North.
    • Fall Equinox: Occurs September 22/23 in Northern Hemisphere (subsolar point at equator).
    • Winter Solstice: Occurs December 21/22 in Northern Hemisphere (subsolar point at Tropic of Capricorn).
    • Tropic of Capricorn: Latitude 23.5 degrees South.
    • Solar Noon: Time of day when sun is highest in the sky.
    • Diurnal Cycle: 24-hour cycle of day and night.
    • Celestial Dome: Imaginary sphere that displays the sun's arc relative to Earth.

    The Global Energy System

    • Wavelength: Distance between wave crests.
    • Wave Amplitude: Height of a wave.
    • Electromagnetic Spectrum: Range of radiant energy from gamma rays to radio waves.
    • Shortwave Radiation: Sun's energy in visible light and other wavelengths.
    • Longwave Radiation: Thermal infrared radiation emitted by Earth.
    • Solar Constant: Average solar radiation received at the top of atmosphere.
    • Constant Gases: Atmosphere components such as nitrogen and oxygen.
    • Variable Gases: Atmosphere components such as carbon dioxide, water vapor, and ozone.
    • Greenhouse Effect: Trapping of longwave radiation by greenhouse gases.
    • Counter Radiation: Longwave radiation emitted back toward Earth's surface.
    • Ozone Layer: Layer of ozone that absorbs ultraviolet radiation.
    • Ozone Hole: Decrease in stratospheric ozone over Antarctica.
    • Insolation: Solar radiation received per unit area per unit time.
    • Radiation: Energy transmitted as waves or rays.
    • Conduction: Heat transfer by direct contact.
    • Direct Radiation: Solar radiation absorbed directly by Earth's surface.
    • Absorption: Assimilation of radiation by a medium, increasing its temperature.
    • Reflection: Return of radiation from a surface back to space.

    Global Temperature Patterns

    • Troposphere: Lowest layer of atmosphere.
    • Environmental Lapse Rate: Temperature decrease with altitude in the troposphere.
    • Tropopause: Top of the troposphere.
    • Stratosphere: Layer above troposphere.
    • Stratopause: Upper boundary of the stratosphere.
    • Mesosphere: Layer above stratosphere.
    • Mesopause: Upper boundary of the mesosphere.
    • Thermosphere: Uppermost layer.
    • Kinetic Energy: Energy of motion, associated with temperature.
    • Temporal Lag: Time difference between two events, like insolation and temperature peaks.
    • Maritime Effect: Moderating influence of large bodies of water on temperature.
    • Continental Effect: Large temperature swings on land compared to coastlines
    • Urban Heat Island: Warmer temperatures in urban areas.

    Atmospheric Pressure, Wind, and Global Circulation

    • Air Pressure: Force exerted by air molecules on a surface.
    • High-Pressure System: Air descends and diverges.
    • Low-Pressure System: Air converges and rises.
    • Cyclones: Low-pressure systems.
    • Anticyclones: High-pressure systems.
    • Advection: Horizontal transfer of air.
    • Pressure Gradient Force: Air flow due to pressure differences.
    • Coriolis Force: Deflection of wind due to Earth's rotation.
    • Geostrophic Winds: Winds that flow parallel to isobars.
    • Equatorial Trough: Low-pressure zone near the equator.
    • Intertropical Convergence Zone (ITCZ): Belt of converging winds near the equator.
    • Trade Winds: Winds that flow toward the equator.
    • Subtropical High (STH): High-pressure zones at about 30 degrees latitude.
    • Hadley Cell: Large-scale atmospheric circulation pattern.
    • Polar Front: Boundary of tropical and polar air masses.

    Air Masses and Cyclonic Weather Systems

    • Air Mass: Large body of air with relatively uniform temperature and humidity.
    • Stationary Front: Boundary where air masses neither move toward nor away from each other.
    • Warm Front: Boundary where warm air moves toward cooler air.
    • Cold Front: Boundary where cool air moves toward warmer air.
    • Midlatitude Cyclone: Low-pressure system characterized by warm and cold fronts.
    • Cyclogenesis: Formation of a midlatitude cyclone.
    • High-Pressure Ridge: Elongated area of high pressure.
    • Low-Pressure Trough: Elongated area of low pressure
    • Occluded Front: Boundary formed when a cold front overtakes a warm front. (cold front advances faster)

    Global Climates and Global Climate Change

    • Weather: Short-term atmospheric conditions.
    • Climate: Long-term average weather patterns.
    • Potential Evapotranspiration (PET): Maximum amount of water lost to evaporation or transpiration.
    • Actual Evapotranspiration (AET): Actual water lost to evaporation or transpiration.
    • Proxy Data: Evidence of past climate conditions from natural records other than instrumental data.
    • Dendrochronology: Dating past events by studying tree ring growth rates.
    • Oxygen Isotope Stages: Changes in the ratio of oxygen isotopes in ice cores that correlate with changes in temperature.
    • Milankovitch Theory: Explains ice ages through variations in Earth's orbit.
    • Anthropogenic: Human-caused changes.
    • Fossil Fuels: Carbon-based fuels formed from ancient organic matter.

    Relevance of Physical Geography to Environmental Changes

    • Carrying Capacity: Maximum population size an environment can support.
    • Water Rights: Legally protected rights to use water.
    • Arable Land: Farmland.
    • Soil Salinization: Accumulation of salts in soil.
    • Land Cover: Types of surface cover (e.g., forest, water).

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    Earth-Sun Geometry and The Seasons - Chapter 3 PDF

    Description

    Explore the intricate relationship between the Earth and the Sun in this engaging quiz. Learn about key concepts such as sun angles, seasons, and significant points like the equinoxes and solstices. Perfect for students of Earth Science and Geography.

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